Dragon's Moon by Lucy Monroe Read Free Book Online Page A

bailey, the only clan there to meet them the night guard who spoke in low tones with Eirik before sending a young soldier running toward the keep.
    E irik’s people had all dismounted and gathered their belongings by the time the Sinclair made it down the hill from the keep. His hair stuck up as if he’d been drawn from his bed and he wore only a sword and his kilt.
    Nevertheless, he was smiling. “I’m glad you and your people have finally made it.” Like the friend that he was, the Sinclair reached out and pulled Eirik in a warrior’s embrace.
    Eirik returned it before stepping back. “I did not mean to pull you from your bed.”
    â€œIt happens.” The Sinclair gave the shrug Eirik knew could irritate the man’s wife, Abigail, no end.
    â€œWe were going to camp outside the wall.” Eirik let some censure bleed into his voice. “I saw the drawbridge was down, so changed my plan.”
    The smile the Sinclair gave was smug. “I had a feeling you would be here tonight.”
    â€œThe security of your people is more important than a little inconvenience.”
    Instead of taking umbrage at Eirik’s clear censure, Talorc merely let his grin grow wider. “You are all my people now, too. Abigail insisted you would feel more
welcome
if the drawbridge was down.”
    â€œYou allow your lady to dictate in matters of clan security?” Eirik asked with no little shock.
    â€œYou know Abigail.” But there was something in the Sinclair’s voice and then he looked over Eirik’s shoulder.
    Eirik turned his head to see a group of warriors entering the lower bailey as the sound of the drawbridge being lifted could be heard.
    â€œYou had a guard on watch outside the walls.”
    â€œOf course.”
    Eirik almost smiled. “It seems your life is filled with headstrong women, but you know how to handle them for the most part.”
    â€œWomen?” Talorc asked with a puzzled frown that went dark as he seemed to comprehend all that Eirik had said.
“For the most part?”
    Eirik indicated the woman Lais had been referring to as Ciara. The prince had heard her tell Lais she lived in the keep. He had not missed his second’s amusement at that fact, either.
    The Sinclair bellowed, “What in the hell is Ciara doing down here in the middle of the night?”
    The woman in question jumped and then bit her lip before giving a small wave to her laird. The Sinclair did not look amused, nor did he look particularly surprised.
    Eirik doubted the other man would take the rest of his ward’s exploits with the same equanimity. “A better question might be: what was she doing on top of the west tower?”
    Clearly able to hear them, though she stood several feet away, Ciara glared at Eirik as if he had betrayed her most bosom-held secret. He let his own disapproval show in the look he returned her.
    If she had expected him to keep her dangerous actions from her laird, she was not only deluded about her brother—the woman was a fool.
    The Sinclair’s eyes began to glow with the wolf’s light and the scent of his fury was so strong, Eirik wasn’t sure the pack alpha would not shift right there. His own dragon roared for a chance to come out.
    â€œCiara was
on top
?” Talorc asked with deadly quiet.
    â€œUntil she fell.”
    Talorc did not ask Eirik to repeat himself. He did not question how Ciara came to be in the lower bailey now, in one piece. He simply turned toward the tower and bellowed a man’s name.
    Seconds later a guard came running up, breathless and pale with fear. “Yes, laird?”
    â€œMy daughter was on top of your tower.”
    â€œC-Ciara, laird?”
    â€œDo I have another one I do not know about?”
    â€œN-no, of course not, Alpha. It’s just that, I didn’t…she didn’t…how did she…” Clearly overcome by too many questions and no answers his laird